D&D Player Advisory Panel Ends

[BryonD]

I just got an e-mail stateing that the Advisory Panel is done.

CLEARLY the only possible explanation is that the focus on 4E makes it no longer needed.*



* - Is 95% joking, though I really did receive the e-mail.

 

[Mark CMG]

Seems like the type of email that they wouldn't mind if it was shared?

 

[BryonD]

Dear Dungeons & Dragons Player,

I want to personally thank you for participating in the Dungeons & Dragons Player Advisory Panel. The information that you have provided has been invaluable in our effort to continue to provide the best game experience possible. Unfortunately, the panel will not continue next year.

Please feel free to use the message boards on the Wizards of the Coast website to provide feedback; our staff routinely reads them. Also, look for periodic surveys on the Wizards and D&D websites in the coming year.

Thank you again for your time and effort put into the surveys throughout the year. Your input has made a difference!

Mike Mitchell
Panel Services Manager
Dungeons & Dragons Advisory Panel

 

[JVisgaitis]

So what surveys did you complete throughout the year?

 

[Thaumaturge]

I also just received the e-mail. I had responded to every survey posted over the last year, and they were mostly "what five books do you use the most?" and "what do you look for in new products?". Sadly, the 4e monster was the first to d-door into my mind as well.

Thaumaturge.

 

[BryonD]

There were 3 or 4 of them in the last year. Not certain.
They were pretty much simple standard fare.
What products have you heard of?
What products do you own?
What products do you use frequently?
What magazines do you read frequently?
What TV channels?
etc....

Very standard marketing stuff.

I was happy to provide my 5 min input. But I didn't think it was a big deal that they were doing it and I honestly don't think it is a big deal that they stopped. But, I figured some people may be interested and it was a chance to stir the pot with my own 4E hysteria thread.

 

[Furry]

I don't see how this invokes 4E. It's possible it was cut for budgetary reasons, or they looked at the community as it stands right now and decided that they did not need this source of information.

Now if they INCREASED their customer surveys, that would make more sense for the launch of a new rules edition.

 

[BryonD]

I don't see how this invokes 4E. It's possible it was cut for budgetary reasons, or they looked at the community as it stands right now and decided that they did not need this source of information.

Now if they INCREASED their customer surveys, that would make more sense for the launch of a new rules edition.

Well, first I completely agree that there a great number of likely reasons for this action and I AM joking.

But, the focus was largely on "what products do you like" and "what should we make in the near future" type stuff. As long as 3.5 continues that will become more and more of a challenge and the feedback will become more valueable. OTOH, if they reboot to 4E they will have a nice solid product line in the hopper and the feedback will drop greatly in value for the time being. (drop greatly <> 0, just less worth while)

 

[trancejeremy]

I'm of the opinion that these "Advisory Panel" things are nothing more than a marketing scheme. Did you see the movie A Christmas Story? About how the little kid joins the Orhpan Annie secret club (or something) and she sends the kids secret messages in code? But upon decoding, they are just commercials for Ovaltine?

This is a somewhat more subtle, it's more akin to push polling. Like when people ask questions like in a poll, but the questions are part of a message the company is trying to get across, rather than genuinely wanting to poll you.

 

[BryonD]

I'm of the opinion that these "Advisory Panel" things are nothing more than a marketing scheme. Did you see the movie A Christmas Story? About how the little kid joins the Orhpan Annie secret club (or something) and she sends the kids secret messages in code? But upon decoding, they are just commercials for Ovaltine?

This is a somewhat more subtle, it's more akin to push polling. Like when people ask questions like in a poll, but the questions are part of a message the company is trying to get across, rather than genuinely wanting to poll you.

meh, having taken them, I didn't get that.
There certainly wasn't anything remotely along the line of "be sure to drink you ovaltine" in any of them.

There really is such thing as honest market data gathering.